Home Sweet Love

by Ava Miles

  A box? Chase was pinging all over the place tonight. Maybe it was due to his concussion. “Sure.”

  She headed over to the bedroom, and sure enough, a long white box wrapped with a red ribbon sat on the quilted bed. Curiouser and curiouser. When she returned to the den, she handed it to him.

  He gestured to the box with his good hand. “It’s for you.”

  Her heart kicked up at the thought of him getting her a present. How had he done that? She untied the ribbon and opened it. A bed of orange and purple-colored orchid flowers captured her attention. “You bought me flowers?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t give them to you earlier.” He gave a tight smile. “I forgot about them, actually. Seeing you walk in here…and then having you kiss me…”

  She could have melted to the floor. “These are beautiful.” She traced the orchid petals. “And rare. Where did you get them?”

  “I had Bonnie call The Grand Mountain Hotel and ask if they had some orchids they could spare to brighten this place up. Quid-Atch has a business account with them, and they know about my accident, obviously, since it happened on their grounds. They were happy to send some over.”

  Of course, they would be, she thought. Chase was a good client.

  “Thank you,” she said, giving him a smile. “These are…quite a surprise.” Most of the guys she’d gone out with in the past hadn’t bothered with flowers.

  “I’m glad you like them,” he said. “Bonnie thinks I should get some flowers for this place to boost the feng shui. She might actually arrange for an expert to come by to consult me on the layout.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  “I’m serious,” he said, crossing a finger over his heart. “Bonnie thinks acupuncture and a whole bunch of other healing modalities might help me get better faster. Your brother agrees. There’s certainly a growing body of scientific evidence to suggest there’s merit to it.”

  “That’s a good idea. Acupuncture and energy healing helped my sister-in-law when she had cancer,” she said, feeling a swell of hurt in her heart over losing Kim. “I hope they’ll help you too.”

  “Bonnie mentioned taking care of Kim,” Chase said softly. “It must have been hard on Andy and the rest of you, losing her so young.”

  His voice was warm and soft and threaded with emotion. When she met his eyes, she realized what it was: compassion. “Yes, it was terrible. For Andy and his young son most of all. We’re so happy he’s found love again, but it doesn’t take away the hurt we feel when we think about Kim. Natalie was her best friend. That’s how Kim met Andy.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth for a kiss. “Losing someone you care about is never easy.”

  “You said your dad died when you were twelve,” she said, deciding to put it out there. “That must have been horrible for you, especially at that age.”

  His chest rose as he dragged in a deep breath. “It was,” he said, looking away. “Did you bring any dessert by chance?”

  She respected that he wasn’t ready to pour his heart out. If she were in his position, she’d feel the same way. Placing the orchids on the coffee table, she tucked her knees under her and turned to face him. “Actually, I thought we could make dessert together.”

  His brow rose. “What did you have in mind?”

  Leaning in, she kissed him on the mouth and then moved to the corners of his lips. “Something like this.” Slanting her mouth over his again, she pressed her full advantage. The kiss was hot and carnal, and by the end, both of them were breathing hard.

  “I like this idea of us collaborating on dessert,” he said, running his good hand down her back. “You’re certainly sweet enough.”

  “I thought you might,” she said, kissing his jaw. “You shaved for me. Is it hard shaving one-handed?”

  “It’s hard doing just about everything one-handed,” he told her, fingering the edge of her tunic.

  She could tell he wanted to lift it and find bare skin. While she wasn’t ready to sleep with him quite yet, she didn’t see any reason not to take things a little further. “How about you show me what that one hand can do in the way of, say…touching my bare back?”

  Oh, the fire that lit in those gray eyes of his. She shivered in response.

  “Your bare back is a great place to start,” he mused, leaning in and sucking on her bottom lip. “I was also thinking we might take a tour to another area of confectionary delight.”

  “For a corporate executive, you sure know your dessert terms. What kind of confectionary delight did you have in mind?” Oh, this was getting good.

  “Your breasts are spectacular,” he said in all seriousness. “I’ll admit that I noticed them before we agreed to…ah…explore this attraction between us.”

  “Does it make you feel any better knowing I checked out your ass more than a few times and thought it was pretty great?”

  “Too bad all I do is sit on it now.” He gave a brief laugh. “I’m beginning to fear it won’t be as ‘great’ as you claim once I get my casts off.”

  It touched her to think a man like him would be worried about his physique. “Oh, a few weeks can’t affect a masterpiece like yours,” she said with a grin. “Maybe six months.”

  His mouth found hers and gave her a kiss that made the room start to spin.

  “You never did tell me what your favorite monument was,” she said, pulling back.

  She felt his hand edge up her tunic, and then a single finger traced her spine. She arched in surprise at the heat that shot through her, from her tail bone to her nape.

  “It’s the FDR Memorial,” he commented, kissing her neck as best as he could from his seated position.

  Leaning into him to give him better access, she cried out when he shifted her onto his lap. “Are you sure you’re okay with me…” Splayed out all over you?

  “I might be laid up, but I’m still strong enough to handle you and your body,” he said, curving his arm around her back. He’d hiked up the sleeve and his skin was bare against hers.

  Yes, she had no doubt that he could handle her. She watched his face for pain and didn’t see any trace of it. “Why is that your favorite memorial? I don’t know much about it.”

  He settled her more firmly against his chest. Pausing to kiss her between words, he said, “It tells the story of one man’s determination to inspire a country facing the worst days of the Depression and World War II. The whole monument is like a mini-play, so to speak, with different sculptures and quotes to represent each act of his presidency. FDR was a man who fought through incredible pain and disability to lead. I admire the heck out of someone who decides not to take what life gave them and lay down in defeat.”

  When he talked like this, he was more than Chase Parker, corporate executive. His passion compelled others to share it. “You should give the half-time speech to one of the football teams playing in the Super Bowl.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m only stating the facts.”

  No, he was telling her something important, something that helped her see down to the heart of him. “He was in a wheelchair, right?”

  “Yes,” he said, tracing her back, suddenly lost in thought. “While more modern scholars dispute the original diagnosis, he was told he had polio at thirty-nine. One moment everything was fine, and the next he was paralyzed from the waist down. Instead of giving in, he kept going. He worked tirelessly to improve his condition. He continued to work. Can you imagine what this country would have looked like if he hadn’t run for president?”

  History wasn’t her strongest subject, so she couldn’t say much. All she remembered was that he’d been president a really long time until he’d died at the end of the war.

  “That man is a goddamn hero in every sense of the word,” Chase said, his voice impassioned, so much so she felt the need to reach out and touch his face.

  His gaze came back to hers, and in his eyes, she could see a bleakness she hadn’t expected.

&nb
sp; “So a guy like you can handle a concussion and two casts, right?” she asked softly.

  He seemed puzzled for a moment, and then his mouth lifted at the corners into an easy smile. “I guess you could say that. When it comes down to it, I have nothing to complain about, do I?”

  She could tell him it was okay to be upset he’d been hurt and limited, but this wasn’t the time. “From where I’m sitting, you’re pretty lucky. In a few weeks, you’re going to be back on your feet with your brain intact. Right this moment though, you have a pretty incredible woman lying in your lap, offering you dessert.”

  The kiss he gave her was long and sweet. She felt the warmth of it spread all the way to her heart.

  “You are pretty special, aren’t you?” he asked. “I suspected as much, but my imagination didn’t do you justice. Must be the concussion.”

  “Must be,” she said, bringing both her arms around his neck.

  “Thank you, Moira,” he said as he pulled her against his chest.

  She rested her head against the hard muscles there, feeling the emotion he was struggling to contain. “For what?”

  “For reminding me of who I want to be,” he said. “For helping me get my head out of my ass.”

  Now they were talking. And if discussing past presidents was all it had taken, well, she would count herself fortunate. “It’s one of my finest qualities. You can ask anyone in my family.”

  “I’d prefer to experience it all myself,” he said, cradling her suddenly in a way that was both tender and sweet.

  “And so you shall.”

  “Our next date is going to be even better,” he told her.

  “Are you already thinking ahead?” she asked.

  “You bet I am. I’m a good planner,” he said. “I’m going to romance the hell out of you tomorrow night. All day I was sulking a little over not being able to take you out like I normally would. Dress in a three-piece suit. Open the car door for you. You know, normal stuff.”

  “And talking about FDR becoming president despite his illness helped you get your A-Game on?” Goodness, he certainly wasn’t a normal guy, was he? But maybe important people like Chase needed inspiration from other important people like FDR.

  “Yeah. I can excel at dating you, even in my current condition. I’ve set my mind to it.”

  She shivered all over. “I’ll bet when you set your mind to something, you’re fierce.”

  “Fierce is a tame word,” he mused. “Intense won’t work either. How would I describe FDR? Maybe—”

  She interrupted him by kissing him. And kissing him. By the time, she drew back, his whole body was tense under her. “Chase, stop with all the FDR stuff, okay?”

  His smile was downright wicked. “Your wish is my command.”

  Then he tugged her close and took them both under in a way that made her certain she was the only thing he was thinking about.

  Chapter 16

  If Chase could have walked, he’d have had a spring in his step the next morning. He and Moira had enjoyed a wonderful evening together, and damn if he wasn’t feeling enthused.

  Spending time with a smart, funny, beautiful woman was something to be grateful for. And he didn’t see his current state as a dreaded predicament anymore. No, siree. After remembering all FDR had gone through, Chase had finally pulled himself up by his bootstraps. Since the accident, he’d been acting like a crybaby, really, and it wasn’t who he was or wanted to be.

  So he was laid up. He’d deal with it. Bonnie was right. Fighting his own recovery would only extend it.

  When Bonnie arrived at his house the next morning, she closed the door and leaned against it. In her gloved hand was a small marmalade tabby kitten. “Chase, this is Barney. Why don’t you make friends before your healing entourage arrives?”

  “They’re coming today?” he asked.

  “An onslaught of them, yes,” she said. “Both Evan’s money and my connections helped. Prepare to be healed.” Of course, she laughed, a light and airy sound he hadn’t heard from her before.

  “The tenderloin was incredible,” he told her. “There’s some left over for you to sample. Thank you again for the help.”

  She set the kitten down, and it made a beeline for him. He had to admit the little fur ball was cute. His green eyes stood out in stark contrast to his fuzzy orange and white. The kitten meowed and rubbed himself against the scooter, and Chase decided it wouldn’t hurt to hold him. With his good hand, he scooped the kitten up into his lap. Pure delight streaked through him when the little thing snuggled against his belly and started to purr. He hadn’t thought about it in years—no, decades—but he used to stuff barn cats in the opening of his coat during winter to keep them warm. It had always been a pleasure to run around the stalls with the cats purring against his chest.

  “You’re a natural,” Bonnie said. “You’ve had a cat before?”

  “We had them around when I was a kid,” he said carefully, not sure how much he wanted to say. “I grew up in the country.”

  “Mousers,” she said with a nod. “They’re great at that. How was your date last night?”

  He veiled his eyes. “I told you the flowers were for a friend.”

  “I know all the proper reasons for one person to give flowers to another. Exotic orchids are date flowers for a unique woman. Plus, you wouldn’t let me put them in a vase.”

  Keeping his face impassive, he rubbed the cat’s underbelly and felt him stretch in response. “What happens here, stays here. I don’t need any commentary on things unrelated to my recovery.”

  Her eyes grew wide in response. “That sounded terrifying. Do you always put people in their place like that? Don’t worry, Chase. You’re right. What happens here stays here. I realized you didn’t know that when you signaled for me to leave the room so you could talk to Andy. Just because Evan pays my salary doesn’t mean I’d tell him anything you don’t want me to.”

  Here he was holding her kitten, a sign of how much she trusted him, and he’d treated her poorly. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have trusted you more.”

  “You have trust issues. Shocker. But we’ll work through them. How do you like Barney? Isn’t he the sweetest?”

  He’d rather admit to watching a chick flick solo than acknowledge Barney’s adorability. “I hope you brought food and cat litter.”

  “Of course,” she said, chuckling. “I’m good with details. So let me run you through your schedule today. Between three practitioners, you’re going to be tired.”

  “Go big or go home,” he joked.

  After she briefed him, Bonnie brought in a portable massage table and set it up in the den with a sheet.

  He excused himself to text Moira. He’d gone to sleep wishing things had gone further than kissing and light touching, but he knew she wasn’t the type to jump into bed with anyone. They were still getting to know each other, and right now, he was content with that. In fact, he was looking forward to learning more about her and what made her tick.

  The only problem he foresaw was her wanting to know more about his background and his family. Those kinds of things were important to her. He wasn’t sure what to do about that yet.

  I’m texting for purely healing reasons, he began.

  I’ll bet, she immediately responded.

  He found himself smiling. He hadn’t been sure she’d answer right away—one, because she might be busy, but two, because there were plenty of people who played games when they were dating someone, and one of the most common was to delay answering calls or texts after a first date. He had never understood that. Why waste time by playing coy?

  He thought for a moment, then typed, Thinking about your snarky comments and beautiful smile boosts my immune system. There, he liked the sound of that.

  Prepare for another boost tonight, she replied.

  Oh, the images that promise conjured up in his mind. I’m counting the hours.

  Any dinner preferences? I can pick up some steaks to throw on the
grill. You like roasted potatoes and spinach?

  Not mixed together, he replied. I like my meat, potatoes, and vegetable separate—like a good Western boy.

  While he wasn’t used to discussing his eating preferences with the women he dated, he found it oddly intimate. Usually, he’d take whomever he was seeing to a restaurant where they could both have whatever they wanted—no discussion required. Even during his marriage with Trisha, they’d rarely eaten at home. She’d always hated cooking and cleanup.

  A good Western boy? Maybe I’ll need to start calling you Sam.

  He stared at her text for a good minute, trying to decipher her reference. You got me. Sam?

  Her response was immediate. Sam Elliot, you idiot. One of the hottest Western men out there.

  Bonnie started humming, which made Barney crawl to the edge of his lap to investigate the sound. “Get back to your original position, Barney, or get down.”

  The tabby turned and gave him that haughty look cats were so famous for. Then he jumped down and pranced over to join Bonnie.

  “He doesn’t like being ignored,” the woman commented, picking him up.

  “I’m texting. About my recovery.”

  “I’ll bet,” she said dryly and resumed her humming.

  He turned his scooter around for some privacy. So you like old men? That’s weird. And by old, I mean ancient. Sam Elliot?

  You’re an old man, and I like you.

  She was younger than he was. By eight years, if he recalled correctly.

  Does that mean you’ll watch Lonesome Dove with me? It has two old Western men in it. He didn’t watch TV given how much he worked, but that mini-series was a classic he liked to break out when traveling long distances on the private jet.

  That baby is one of my favorites. I adore Tommy Lee Jones too, but I don’t think he’s hot like Sam Elliot. Now Robert Duvall…

  He started texting before she could finish.

  I’m getting you an honorary membership to AARP when I get my online privileges back from my dad.